A letter I wrote for Bailey to her parents. 

Dear Mom and Dad, 

I have a really hard time saying what I need from you so I thought I’d write this letter. 

I’m just a kid. I guess I’m growing up fast because everyone says that I am. But I don’t feel like I’m growing up fast. It’s taken my whole life to get this old. I feel like I’ll be a kid forever. 

I want a cell phone, a car, a whole closet full of designer clothing and a pocketful of money to spend. I want to do what I want when I want to do it. School is boring. There are a lot of mean kids that make me sad. They say things that are so mean. Sometimes I feel alone at school. Friends are tough. Theres also lots of pressure to do good in school. I wish I could just play with my BFF all day and not have to go to school. 

You insist that I need to learn how to work and how to get along with the mean kids at school. You make me earn money for the things that I want. You are always telling me that I need to do my homework so I can get into a good college. You are always talking about the future – how close it is and how if I only knew how important it is that I listen to you I’d be doing it better. I’m honestly trying. Sometimes it’s really hard and makes me cry. 

I’m a great kid. I’m funny, people at school love me. I wish you could see that more. I wish you could see my good points and my focus on those. Not my problems. I know I’m not perfect. I know I make a ton of mistakes. Be patient with me and just love me for who I am. Not for who I could be. 

I need you to be my biggest fans. I have enough people who are hard on me. Just think I’m the best person ever and I’ll be fine. I promise. You had to grow up too even if it was a really long time ago. 

Love, 

Bailey